Mississippi senators moved forward on spending ARPA funds

JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi senators are moving forward on spending some of the state’s $1.8 billion in pandemic relief funds.

State senators voted to give over $100 million dollars to the state Department of Mental Health.

Under the proposal, 10 million will go to Child Protection Services and a little over 3 million to MEMA.

The national guard would get upwards of 10 million.

The legislation now moves on to the state House of Representatives for a vote.

These federal funds being given to state agencies are coming from the American Rescue Plan Act that Congress passed and President Biden signed into law last year.

Lawmakers still have to agree on how to spend other portions of the federal dollars.